Afghanistan has launched a major military offensive against Pakistani positions along the disputed Durand Line, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two neighbours.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban administration, announced the operations on X, stating they were in direct response to repeated provocations and violations by Pakistani military forces.

The announcement came on 26 February 2026, following Pakistani airstrikes on 21-22 February that targeted alleged militant camps in Afghanistan's Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces.

Pakistan claimed the strikes hit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) hideouts, killing over 80 militants in retaliation for recent attacks in Islamabad, Bajaur, and Bannu.

Taliban officials, however, denounced the airstrikes as attacks on civilians and religious sites, reporting at least 18 civilian deaths, including children, in Nangarhar's Behsud district. Local sources described the strikes as widespread, with rubble trapping families, though the Taliban restricted media access to affected areas.

Mujahid's post detailed "large-scale offensive operations" against Pakistani military installations, with Afghan forces claiming to have captured up to 15 border outposts and inflicted heavy casualties, including around 40 Pakistani soldiers killed in Kunar province. Specialised laser units were reportedly deployed for night operations along the 2,611-kilometre Durand Line, which Afghanistan does not recognise.

Pakistan vehemently denied any losses or captures, asserting its forces repelled "unprovoked aggression" with immediate retaliation, destroying Afghan posts and causing significant casualties on the Taliban side. Islamabad's Information Ministry described the response as effective in safeguarding territorial integrity.

Clashes have intensified since 24 February, with cross-border fire exchanged in areas like Shahkot and Spin Boldak, echoing October 2025 hostilities that killed dozens and led to border closures. Both sides accuse the other of initiating fire, amid longstanding disputes over TTP safe havens in Afghanistan, which Kabul denies.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja M Asif has declared an "open war" on the Taliban regime, launching Operation Ghazab Lil Haqq ("Wrath for the Truth") in response, including strikes on Afghan cities like Kabul and Kandahar. This has plunged relations to a new low, with most border crossings shut.

The United Nations has urged restraint to protect civilians, with UNAMA confirming infrastructure damage but no verified civilian deaths in recent Paktika strikes. India condemned Pakistan's initial actions, supporting Afghanistan's sovereignty, while global calls for de-escalation grow amid fears of broader instability.

Casualty figures remain unverified, with Afghan claims of Pakistani losses contrasted by Islamabad's reports of Taliban deaths and downed quadcopters. Independent verification is scarce due to restricted access and ongoing fighting in rugged border terrain.

This flare-up underscores deep-rooted frictions over the porous Durand Line, militant crossovers, and mutual accusations of harbouring terrorists. A prolonged conflict risks drawing in regional powers and exacerbating humanitarian woes in both nations.

Agencies